Land of the Beast
by Echoing Fantasy
Summary: "All Danny could think of was that this was it, this was the end because it was just him and Wulf versus Walker and hundreds of his ghost guards, and Wulf was looking like he was prepared to go down taking every last guard with him." Danny meets Walker while up in the mountains. Slight White Fang pairing.


_Land of the Beast_

There have only been a few instances in Danny Fenton's life that have left him truly terrified. Most of them were early on, long before he came to grips with his ghost powers. His battle with the Lunch Lady had been the first; Vlad Plasmius had been the second. The third and fourth had been his battle with his evil self Dan, and then the Disasteroid incident, when the entire world had been in jeopardy, and it had been revealed that Danny Phantom was actually Danny Fenton. The point was that Danny Phantom had experience under his belt thanks to such long and terrifying battles; he had come out scrapped, bruised and generally shaky, but he had come out _intact. _As Danny landed in the snow once again, blood seeping from the large wound in his chest to color the white landscape beneath him, he considered that this could be his very first – and last battle where he _didn't _come out intact.

Because Walker was here. Him and hundreds of his ghost guards, who circled around Danny like he was a fresh lamb out for slaughter. Danny struggled, kicking the snow in his eager efforts to get away from the closing circle. Walker himself stood at the head of the pack, pale suit and body barely standing out amongst the background. The only reason Danny could still see him was because of the unearthly glow surrounding him. It had been nearly six long years since Danny had last seen Walker – not counting the yearly Christmas party with him and the other ghosts. Such an absence had made Danny forgetful; he had forgotten how tirelessly Walker pursued prey that had eluded him before, how effective he was at issuing orders, and perhaps worst of all, how quick he was to spring traps on the unwary.

Danny had forgotten all of that, too wrapped up in being the hero of Amity Park and human all at the same time. If Vlad were still around, Danny imagined he'd be sneering right about now, cackling something about how foolish Danny was for letting his guard down all those years. But Vlad wasn't here, and Danny didn't have time to think anymore because Walker was motioning the guards to take the captive in, because with his arm mangled like it was he knew Danny would never be able to get a shot in. The halfa closed his eyes, heart racing in his phantom chest, and prayed that Walker either killed him quickly or did something that would render him unconscious for the majority of the rest of his afterlife.

Unfortunately, neither happened. But something else did, something that had Danny screaming in both joy and fear. Simply put, Wulf showed up.

Wulf, the wild beast-like ghost he had not seen since the last incident in Amity Park involving that gel-like substance that had sucked everyone up. Wulf, who barely understood English, but understood _Danny _enough to trust him and help him out like Danny did him, and who was now standing over the young bleeding halfa, body acting like a protective shield while he bared crimson-colored fangs at Walker, eyes gleaming savagely in the moonlight. All Danny could think of was that this was it, this was the end because it was just him and Wulf versus Walker and hundreds of his ghost guards, and Wulf was looking like he was prepared to go down taking every last guard with him, which left Walker with Danny.

But Wulf didn't do that. Instead, Wulf stood his ground as the guards drew close, waited until they were almost too close for Danny to bear, and then took off like a shot, blurring in his movements as he shredded the nearest ghost into tiny, tiny bits. And that in turn set off the guards, who rushed to aid their fallen comrade. All the while they never took notice of Danny, who was still underneath Wulf, still beneath the giant hulking monster they were attempting to kill. Wulf clawed and ripped and tore until every single ghost guard was dead, bits and pieces scattered among the green ectoplasm. Danny pressed a fist to his mouth and tried not to be sick.

Walker took a step back, and then another, and finally a third before turning and fleeing as fast as he possible could. Wulf roared and snarled and howled but did not leave Danny's side. By now, the lost ectoplasm was beginning to make Danny's head swim; he blinked repeatedly in an effort to stay awake, only to lose control over his transformation ability and switch back to human form in a wisp of light. Of course, the instant he did, he started gasping in pain, because in human form it was _blood _he lost, not ectoplasm, and the hole in his chest was getting hard to ignore.

Wulf smelt the blood, and his head quickly turned, nostrils flaring as his ears rose. For an instant he saw Danny as a predator would a dying animal; the boy gasping for bits of breath, his blood painting the snow a delicious red. But then the illusion was over, and Wulf recognized his brother in arms for what he was, and turned around, picking Danny up in his hands and cradling him close to his chest before bounding away towards his home in the caves. The caves were sections he'd carved out of the larger-than-large mountainsides to make himself a home in, and while they weren't exactly warm, they would provide Wulf a place to clean Danny up in, as well as hide them both.

By the time they reached the caves, Danny's breath was little more than a wheeze in his lungs; his face had gone unnaturally pale, and his eyes were fluttering open and shut with each breath he took. Wulf didn't bother with niceties; he laid Danny down on a flat surface and ripped the boy's shirt off with ease, giving him access to the gaping wound that had put the boy in such danger. He recognized the smell of burnt flesh, and knew Walker had probably shot the boy with some sort of gun before or during transformation. The hole was too big to completely close, but all Wulf needed to do was stem the blood flow enough for him to get his friend to a hospital.

His saliva carried small healing properties; Wulf considered that with large enough amounts, he could possibly save Danny in time. He just hoped Danny wasn't weirded out by what he was fixing to do – if he was still coherent enough to understand. Wulf lowered his muzzle to the boy's wound and began to lick at it, first with long, sweeping licks and then faster ones to spread the saliva around. Danny gasped and tried to tug away, but Wulf placed a single paw on his shoulder and pulled back a bit, just enough to meet the boy's shocked gaze.

In halting English, he said, "I protect you. Make bad wound go away. Trust Wulf, yes?"

After a moment Danny nodded and let his head go limp, relaxing in Wulf's grip. The ghost went back to patching up Danny as best he could with his saliva, and then once that was done took off his large hoodie and wrapped it around the newly-closed wound to prevent any more blood from escaping. He dropped to all fours after that, and picked Danny up carefully in his mouth, making sure to avoid his sharp teeth before turning from the cave and rushing off into the darkness; his feet carrying him faster than any normal human vehicle could go. For once he wished he had the power to slash through the barriers of Earth as easily as he could the Ghost Zone. He prayed the nearest human hospital was close as he rushed off into the night, the unconscious form of Danny Fenton clutched in his mouth.

* * *

When Danny woke up three days later, the first thing he saw was Wulf's hoodie, wrapped around him like a blanket to keep him warm. The second thing was Tucker and Sam, sound asleep in chairs next to his bed. The third thing was a pair of bright green eyes in the window, and the huge hulking frame. Weakly, Danny pushed himself into a sitting position. Seconds later the window opened and Wulf climbed inside, mindful of the curtain that was currently around Danny's bed, shielding the foursome from the rest of the hospital.

It took Danny a moment to find the part of his brain that worked with Wulf's native tongue, but once he did he started letting the questions flow. _"How long have I been out?"_

"_Three moons. It was a long wait. I didn't think you would make it, even after all I'd done," _Wulf answered solemnly, his green eyes showing a deep sadness at the thought. Danny smiled slightly.

"_Thank you for helping me back there. But why were you there? I mean, I haven't seen you since the Disasteroid, and even then, it was only a glimpse I caught. Where have you been?"_

"_I have been out in these wilds, resting. Since I am no longer under Walker's claws, I am free to do as I wish. I know I have many options, but… I feel at ease in those caves, up there in the mountains. I am far from people, and I can act like a normal animal if someone does come near. It's nice, and quiet. Or it was, until Walker cornered you." _His muzzle lifted in a snarl, and Danny gulped at the sight of those familiar fangs.

"_Don't be upset, Wulf. I'm sorry I disturbed you."_

"_Do not apologize. Had you not disturbed me, I would not have seen you again. I just wish I had known sooner – I would have torn Walker limb from limb before he had a chance to get a shot in!"_

Tucker snorted and jerked awake before Danny could answer that, his sleep-filled eyes settling on Danny and staying there for a moment before his brain caught up to him. "Danny!"

It didn't take Sam long to wake up after that, or for Wulf to leave again. Danny tried to give him his hoodie before he did, but Wulf shook his head and quietly told Danny, _"You keep it. The winds are biting cold, and I have fur to keep me warm. You can get me one for the next winter solstice celebration, if it bothers you so."_

And then he was gone, the window closing behind him. Danny watched as the dark shape vanished into the trees, and unconsciously drew the hoodie closer to his person, inhaling its musky scent. A sense of comfort washed over him then, and he smiled as his two friends began to talk of what had gone on in his absence.


End file.
